The National tribune., 1887-05-12
DISTINGUISHED RECRUITS.
THE FALSTAFFS.
The Southern Writers Who GIOrifr Their VulorOus
Deeds.


EDTToR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: In Gen. Long
streets article in the February number Of the
Century, in describing Pckett's charge AZ Get
tysburg, he states that Pickett rode at the head
Of = column of forty nine hundred men," As
all Southern writers Of war articles insist on
beliuling their numbers in all engagements Of
any moment, j would respectfully ask YOU TO
correct the impression this article OF Gen.
LOngstreet's has created, by giving a correct
statement OF the number of troops in Pickett's
column and under his command in that his
tOric charge on the Sd OF July.
Picketts Division comprised three brigades,
with total OF 1900 men. This division was
fresh. not having been in action at all on the
I'd. These brigades were commanded by Gar
nett, Armstoad and Kemper. The Second Di-
vision, commanded by Pettigrew OF Heth's
Division, of A. p. Hills Corps, was composed
of four brigades numbering 5000 men, as fol-
lows; Areher's Tennessee Brigade. commanded
by Col. Frey; Pettigrew's North Carolina Bri-
gade, 10 Dayis's Mississippi Brigade and
BrOckenbrongh' Virginia Brigade. The Third
Division was commanded by Gen. Trimble
comprising Scaless aud Lanes North Carolina
Brigades, belonging 20 Pender's Division of A.
II. Hills Corps, and numbered $500 men. This
makes total Of $4,000 men instead OF 4, 900, as
/ LOngstreet states in his article
Again, Plcketts Division did not do all the
! fighting, as one would suppose from this arti-
! Gle; for the lath Tennessee of Arcber's Brigade
under Pettigrew, went into the charge with
375 men and came out with one Lieutenant
and 81 men, planting their cOlors on the stone
wall, where it remained in possession of the
Federals. All Of these brigades went into the
grand assault and TO each belongs the glory.
| Garnett and Armistead, commanding brigades
IN Picketts Division, were killed, and Kemper
was wounded; Pettigrew, commanding Heth s
Division, WAS wounded. and Trimble, com
manoing the brigades Of Pender's Division, was
also wounded. This was not an assault by
Nirglnians, as we are led TO believe for the Ten
nessee, Alabama, North Carolina and Mississippi
troops can claim, and are entitled 10, an equal
share OF the glory and heroism Of that i'm
mortal charge.
Another instance of Understanding or will
full misstatemcnt appears in the article on
! Chickamagua ia the April Century by Gen d.
! ii. Hill. lie makes ROsecrans's army largely
outnumber Bragg's after Bragg had been re-
! Enforced by two divisions Of LongstTeet's Corps,
BuckBer's Corps from East Tennessee. a di-
vision of parOled Confederstes from Mississippi,
\ and all the bushwhackers who had taken
a hand expecting fine plumber from the an
inhalation Of ROsecranss army. Their records
never gave the number OF their men nor their
losses, their policy being 10 Suppress and now
they come 10 the front and claim great vcto-
ries, and always with the smallest number OF
men engaged. Every one at Chickamagua
knew that Bragg's army ou'numbered Rose
crans's by not less than 1900 men. Bragg's
army was fresh. while ROsecTans's troops, with
the exception of Crttenden's Corps, went into
the eight after forced night march. without
food or water, aud fought the day as one TO
thrcei and yet they claim we had the largest
/ army!
Again, they sing of their wonderful
bravery-Deyer were such troops IN the history
| OF the world We do not deny their bravery ;
we know IL well enough and still remember,
but are very tired Of hearing il sung 10 the
same old tune. Why don't thoy write of those
who were not so braveg Cen. Joe Johnston
had - deserters shot ia his camps at Dalton in
the Winter Of "a, all at one crack On the
Atlanta campaign, in every engagement, they
had doad.line in rear Of their line Of battle
TO shoot and intimidate the stragglers, and
keep their line formed 10 the front. They
were brave, but every Southern heart was not
the heart Of Jackson or Pickett and the
Falstaifs Of the South were as numerous as
could be found in the North. We are glad "a
read the Southern writings, but we don't wan
TO read continually that we were always whip
ped by smaller numbers and that brave men
existed only in the army Of the " Lost Cause. >
C. w. CLARK, GLIB Hennepin Ave, Mime
apolis, MINI.